Help!! Car won't start...

ValvetrainEngineer · 03-18-2006, 03:43 PM

Here's the rundown:

Tried reflashing a new basemap at work (street tuner), kept losing connection with the ECU mid-flash. Had to turn the car off, back on, same prob. Eventually was able to reflash the original map I was running before...then the car wouldn't start. Called Cobb, they said it sounded like a battery problem. I thought the same and already had a battery on the way. New battery and the car started fine, drove home...

Figuring with a good (stock) battery I was good, I tried reflashing the same basemap that couldn't flash before. Again it lost connection with the ECU just before it was finished. Tried again after turning car off, back on, now can't connect at all. Tried disconnecting the battery to do a 'hard' ECU reset, nada. Trickle charged the battery for a long time...still nada.

Normally when the key is turned to 'on' I hear the fuel pump prime, etc. Now I don't - instead a fast clicking from the engine bay near the alternator, and some clicking noise from the rear (likely the pump?). When I try to start the car it turns over strong, but won't start. Now I can't do anything with the Accessport - can't switch maps, revert to stock, flash a basemap, etc. Nothing. (green test mode connector was connected for the appropriate actions).
I'll call Cobb on Monday...but this is my daily driver

. Any thoughts??

Sounds crazy, but is it possible that a bad mapped ruined my ECU? This was a map I ran successfully for months, but just made a few small changes.

THANKS!

***wdb*** · 03-18-2006, 04:05 PM

Since the car turned over strongly it's unlikely that it is the battery itself that is the problem. I would inspect all of the connections to the battery, at both ends. And if you are hearing clicking under the hood I would try to determine the source. Beyond that I don't know what to say besides "Christian, are you online?"

Good luck!

ValvetrainEngineer · 03-19-2006, 01:13 PM

Yeah, I didn't think this would be an easy one. I'm hoping to talk with Christian on Monday...otherwise I had better practice hitchiking

pantag · 03-19-2006, 01:34 PM

Ouch, that sucks! Did the Cobb connector was firmly plugged to your car's port during the first flash? I would unplug the battery and leave it that way overnight until you speak with Christian on Monday. Maybe the ECU eventually will clear out itself...? Keep us updated and hopefully it will not be something major.

STirish · 03-19-2006, 02:56 PM

Can you connect to the ECU with your ST?

ValvetrainEngineer · 03-19-2006, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by STirish

Can you connect to the ECU with your ST?

No deal, this ECU won't talk to anything. When I click on 'live tuning' it can't connect...

So here's my new daily driver, at least there's no rain in the forecast for the next week. This thing has been sitting since November, battery still connected. Sure enough, starts right up. Modern technology

johnson81 · 03-19-2006, 03:52 PM

At least you have a nice ride for the time being. Hope you get things straightened out.

STirish · 03-19-2006, 04:19 PM

That does not sound good. I'm not sure exactly what may have caused the poor connection, but the behavior you describe sounds like a frozen ECU.

dexterous · 03-19-2006, 04:37 PM

Did you let your car sit all night with the battery disconnected?

ValvetrainEngineer · 03-19-2006, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dexterous

Did you let your car sit all night with the battery disconnected?

Yes I did, all night.

So if Christian can't come up with any brainstorms on Monday, the options are to trailer it to a dealer or XX Tuning...or just pickup a used ECU and assume that's the problem. I'd really hate to be missing something stupid and end up buying a new ECU, but on the other hand I *think* I've tried everything possible...

STirish · 03-19-2006, 05:16 PM

Try to find someone in your area w/ an '04 and swap ECUs.

005sti · 03-19-2006, 05:49 PM

When I last tried to switch base maps (after dark, after a long day at work), it sounds like (based on your description of the sounds,etc) the same thing happened to me...scared the **** from me. When the weird sounds began, i freaked and quickly disconnected the ap, etc. After a full night's sleep, I tried again. The problem was that I was choosing the wrong menu item from the ap menu screen. There are 2 items that sound similar, one is something like "switch base map" and the other is something like "flash new base map". The one that was the correct choice was near the bottom of the menu, near (approximately) choice 7 or 8 ( i think it was the "switch map" option, as opposed to the "flash new map" or whatever the actual name is). Even though they both sounded like correct choices, my incorrect choice was apparently the exact reason why I was getting the "cannot communicate with ecu" message, as well as the strange sounds, sounding exactly like what you described. Try switching maps using the menu choice (relating to base map reflashing) that u did not choose before. I apologize for the lack of precision in my explanation, but I am almost positive that what u described happened to me, and i can't remember the exact menu choice names to which i am referring. I had the phone in-hand ready to call cobb when I figured out the problem. good luck!

dexterous · 03-19-2006, 06:21 PM

Its a good thing that you have an 04. 05s have the immobilizer which is a huge pain in the but if your kill your ECU. I second the swap ECU's with a friend suggestion.

ValvetrainEngineer · 03-20-2006, 05:00 AM

Thanks for the help 005 STi. It sounds like you were confusing realtime maps (switch map) and base maps (load new basemap). I don't think I'm so lucky...I can't even read CEL's. I did find a used ECU if it comes to that...

Thanks -

005sti · 03-20-2006, 06:00 AM

good luck.

03-18-2006, 03:43 PM	#1
ValvetrainEngineer Spec C Club Car: '04 WRB Fav Mod: A working ECU... Location: CT Posts: 1,486 Join Date: May 2003 Trader Rating: (7)	Help!! Car won't start... Here's the rundown: Tried reflashing a new basemap at work (street tuner), kept losing connection with the ECU mid-flash. Had to turn the car off, back on, same prob. Eventually was able to reflash the original map I was running before...then the car wouldn't start. Called Cobb, they said it sounded like a battery problem. I thought the same and already had a battery on the way. New battery and the car started fine, drove home... Figuring with a good (stock) battery I was good, I tried reflashing the same basemap that couldn't flash before. Again it lost connection with the ECU just before it was finished. Tried again after turning car off, back on, now can't connect at all. Tried disconnecting the battery to do a 'hard' ECU reset, nada. Trickle charged the battery for a long time...still nada. Normally when the key is turned to 'on' I hear the fuel pump prime, etc. Now I don't - instead a fast clicking from the engine bay near the alternator, and some clicking noise from the rear (likely the pump?). When I try to start the car it turns over strong, but won't start. Now I can't do anything with the Accessport - can't switch maps, revert to stock, flash a basemap, etc. Nothing. (green test mode connector was connected for the appropriate actions). I'll call Cobb on Monday...but this is my daily driver . Any thoughts?? Sounds crazy, but is it possible that a bad mapped ruined my ECU? This was a map I ran successfully for months, but just made a few small changes. THANKS! This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

03-19-2006, 05:49 PM	#12
005sti Senior STI Driver Fav Mod: Agile protune Location: vahbeach Posts: 393 Join Date: Dec 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	When I last tried to switch base maps (after dark, after a long day at work), it sounds like (based on your description of the sounds,etc) the same thing happened to me...scared the **** from me. When the weird sounds began, i freaked and quickly disconnected the ap, etc. After a full night's sleep, I tried again. The problem was that I was choosing the wrong menu item from the ap menu screen. There are 2 items that sound similar, one is something like "switch base map" and the other is something like "flash new base map". The one that was the correct choice was near the bottom of the menu, near (approximately) choice 7 or 8 ( i think it was the "switch map" option, as opposed to the "flash new map" or whatever the actual name is). Even though they both sounded like correct choices, my incorrect choice was apparently the exact reason why I was getting the "cannot communicate with ecu" message, as well as the strange sounds, sounding exactly like what you described. Try switching maps using the menu choice (relating to base map reflashing) that u did not choose before. I apologize for the lack of precision in my explanation, but I am almost positive that what u described happened to me, and i can't remember the exact menu choice names to which i am referring. I had the phone in-hand ready to call cobb when I figured out the problem. good luck! Last edited by 005sti : 03-19-2006 at 06:33 PM.

03-20-2006, 06:00 AM	#15
005sti Senior STI Driver Fav Mod: Agile protune Location: vahbeach Posts: 393 Join Date: Dec 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	good luck. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

03-18-2006, 04:05 PM	#2
*wdb* dances with roads Posts: 5,022 Join Date: Apr 2005 Trader Rating: (8)	Since the car turned over strongly it's unlikely that it is the battery itself that is the problem. I would inspect all of the connections to the battery, at both ends. And if you are hearing clicking under the hood I would try to determine the source. Beyond that I don't know what to say besides "Christian, are you online?" Good luck!

03-19-2006, 01:13 PM	#3
ValvetrainEngineer Spec C Club Car: '04 WRB Fav Mod: A working ECU... Location: CT Posts: 1,486 Join Date: May 2003 Trader Rating: (7)	Yeah, I didn't think this would be an easy one. I'm hoping to talk with Christian on Monday...otherwise I had better practice hitchiking

03-19-2006, 01:34 PM	#4
pantag Spec C Club Car: 06 Subaru WRX STi Fav Mod: My right foot... Location: Waterford CT Posts: 1,996 Join Date: Nov 2004 Trader Rating: (1)	Ouch, that sucks! Did the Cobb connector was firmly plugged to your car's port during the first flash? I would unplug the battery and leave it that way overnight until you speak with Christian on Monday. Maybe the ECU eventually will clear out itself...? Keep us updated and hopefully it will not be something major.

03-19-2006, 02:56 PM	#5
STirish Spec C Club Car: '99 M3/'03 WRX Avant Fav Mod: Modification is wrong! Location: SLC, UT Posts: 1,026 Join Date: Sep 2004 Trader Rating: (6)	Can you connect to the ECU with your ST?

03-19-2006, 03:52 PM	#7
johnson81 STI Driver Car: 06 STi Fav Mod: Espelir JGT500 cat-back Location: Kent, WA Posts: 221 Join Date: Nov 2005 Trader Rating: (2)	At least you have a nice ride for the time being. Hope you get things straightened out.

03-19-2006, 04:19 PM	#8
STirish Spec C Club Car: '99 M3/'03 WRX Avant Fav Mod: Modification is wrong! Location: SLC, UT Posts: 1,026 Join Date: Sep 2004 Trader Rating: (6)	That does not sound good. I'm not sure exactly what may have caused the poor connection, but the behavior you describe sounds like a frozen ECU.

03-19-2006, 04:37 PM	#9
dexterous Junior STI Driver Car: WRB 2005 STI 404whp! Fav Mod: COBB AccessPort Location: Slippery Rock, PA Posts: 112 Join Date: Feb 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Did you let your car sit all night with the battery disconnected?

03-19-2006, 05:16 PM	#11
STirish Spec C Club Car: '99 M3/'03 WRX Avant Fav Mod: Modification is wrong! Location: SLC, UT Posts: 1,026 Join Date: Sep 2004 Trader Rating: (6)	Try to find someone in your area w/ an '04 and swap ECUs.

03-19-2006, 06:21 PM	#13
dexterous Junior STI Driver Car: WRB 2005 STI 404whp! Fav Mod: COBB AccessPort Location: Slippery Rock, PA Posts: 112 Join Date: Feb 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Its a good thing that you have an 04. 05s have the immobilizer which is a huge pain in the but if your kill your ECU. I second the swap ECU's with a friend suggestion.

03-20-2006, 05:00 AM	#14
ValvetrainEngineer Spec C Club Car: '04 WRB Fav Mod: A working ECU... Location: CT Posts: 1,486 Join Date: May 2003 Trader Rating: (7)	Thanks for the help 005 STi. It sounds like you were confusing realtime maps (switch map) and base maps (load new basemap). I don't think I'm so lucky...I can't even read CEL's. I did find a used ECU if it comes to that... Thanks -